1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a versatile printing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Payment systems using commercial bank checks (“checks”) to transfer money are common particularly in Europe and North America. Payments and transfers of many kinds are accomplished by accepting checks. These checks are typically brought to a financial institution such as a bank for deposit in a bank account or for check cashing.
Numerous checks must therefore be processed in a short time at teller windows in every bank branch. The main tasks performed at the teller window involve a bank clerk verifying the check, confirming the date, and verifying the signature, and then depositing the funds or cashing the check. The received check is also endorsed and a receipt is issued as needed.
Some banks have started to electromagnetically read checks brought to the bank, and efforts to improve check processing efficiency in the future by connecting bank branches and different banks on-line are underway.
To this end, check processing machines having a magnetic ink character reader (MICR) for reading information written in magnetic ink on each check and an image scanner for capturing an image of each check are installed in many bank branches today. These processing machines are large-scale systems used for processing large volumes of checks at high speed, and cannot be located at the teller window. A large space used just for check processing must therefore normally be set aside in the bank, and all checks are processed there. After the checks are processed, checks collected from each branch are delivered by armored car, for example, to a specified central clearing house.
Electromagnetically reading checks at the teller window is also being tried, and small check processing devices that can be installed at the teller window have been proposed.
The check processing device referred to above has a check transportation mechanism, a magnetic ink character reader (MICR), scanner, and printer disposed along a check transportation path.
When the bank teller receiving a check from a customer passes the check through this check processing device, the check processing device reads the check using the MICR and scanner, and then endorses the check using the printer. This check processing device is taught in Japanese Pat. Appl. Pub. No. 2000-344428.
After reading a check with the MICR and scanner, and then printing the endorsement using this check processing machine, the bank teller verifies the information on the check, including the date and signature, using either the check itself or the scanned image of the check. Using the check image, however, requires providing a display to operate with this check processing machine.
If this check verification shows that there is no problem with the check, the check is paid or deposited. This requires data entry to a computer terminal separate from the above check processing machine, and printing a customer receipt and bank branch receipt using a printer that is also separate from this check processing machine. If the back of the check must be printed again, a printer separate from the check processing machine must be used for validation printing. Validation printing involves loading the check from the top and then ejecting the check from the top after printing. This task is performed repeatedly in the bank for endorsing checks and printing slips.
In other words, when a check is passed through a check processing machine as described above for processing, additional data must be inputted to a different system, and receipts and other forms must be printed using a separate printer.
Check handling is therefore complicated, and handling errors necessarily occur more easily. This procedure also requires additional time and checks cannot be processed quickly.
Furthermore, the need to install a separate printer in addition to the check processing machine puts additional pressure on the limited working space available at the teller window, and thus reduces job productivity. Being able to quickly and accurately process work in the confined space available at the teller window is a major problem for banks. This problem is not limited to banks, however, and is a problem common to any job of processing checks and other such documents in a confined space.
An object of the present invention is therefore to solve the above problem of the prior art and provide a processing and printing apparatus that by means of a single compact device can process and print slips such as checks and then print receipts, for example.